Cobtree Manor Park — Attraction in Maidstone

A lovely country park for all. The entrance is off the Aylesford Road, straight into the substantial but in keeping car park. Car parking is pay and display and also uses the RingGo pay app. There is a cafe to the side of the car park which serves drinks, hot food and ice creams - cards taken as well as cash. The toilets are also situated here and are well maintained & cleaned. Disabled facilities also situated here. Up from the cafe is the children’s play area, a large wooden fort with swings, climbing frames and slides. Plenty to keep little ones busy and happy. There is plenty of open areas here as well as picnic tables for picnics and lunches. The park itself spreads out further up the hill adjacent to the Cobtree Manor Golf Course. The walks around the grounds are pleasant and wind through the trees and meadows of the park. Plenty of flat and wide paths accessible by disabled patrons. Plenty more open spaces for pic nice and dog walkers. There are walks through the wooded areas too though a little more natural in places, not space for pushchairs and wheelchairs in some wooded areas. There is Also access to a bridle way which completely surrounds the perimeter of the golf course and can be walked. The bridle path is around 3km long and is well maintained in places but gets slightly boggy and muddy in others. Going in an anti clockwise direction, the way is not easy to follow near the end as it re-enters the park but we found our way nevertheless with a google map! Some lovely tree lined avenues in the park, as well as differing varieties of trees and bush, also some sculpture scattered around the park. There used to be a zoo on the site and you can still see the remains of some of the animal houses. More of an homage than a ruin. Fits well in the surroundings. A really pleasant place to visit for a few good hours of walking or relaxing on a sunny day with the kids. A really good country park that is well worth a visit. Considering it is situated adjacent to the M20 at the bottom of the A229, you’d struggle to hear the traffic. One of Kent’s best...

It is a great park for familys , but i resent paying the £2.00 parking charge there should be concessions for people who live in the local area who have no choice but to use this park as it's the only green space they have when they have been sandwiched in between the ever growing industrial and the ever growing motorway .... I live on the forstal road and have done for over 25 years now. It is an awful road and very dangerous many deaths have occurred on this road some walkers and obv people in cars , to walk down with dogs feel I'm putting my life and my dogs lives in danger so I use my car this is my local park and I feel I have already paid for this through my council tax , my grandad used to be the warden at this park many years ago and my mum a valued member of the council staff. Tbh I wish it was the same now as it was back then when it was all wild and I felt i was miles away from anywhere .... progress is not always welcome. I suspect families will love it now with all the play areas and toys for the kids but again that does not make me happy when I just want some peace and quiet away from everything and everyone 🤷‍♀️ booooo to Maidstone council as always for not caring about locals. But of you have kids and want things to do then this will suit you no end ! If you dont have kids be prepared for noise and lots of it and lots...

This is the site of the old Maidstone zoo that in its time was the largest private zoo in Europe. It is now all parkland and woodland. There is a fully hard surfaced car park that costs £2 for the day. There is no entrance fee. The cafe is quite small but serves good coffee and snacks, mostly cake and similar sweet food. I don't know if they serve meals or sandwiches. It was full when we went because people were sheltering from a downpour! There is a large play fort with swings for smaller children, climbing net/frame to access the fort. All well designed and so designed to prevent bigger "children" access. The ground is partly surfaced with rubber crumb to minimise injury in the case of a fall. There are other childrens' play items mostly close to the cafe. Some hard and son woodland paths allow you to walk around the grounds. All in all a good place to visit with toddlers and younger children. Dogs are allowed. Also something I haven't seen before larger families or groups erected gazebos and 'set up camp". There is plenty of space without bothering anyone else. If you have children or grandchildren a good...